Tie plate and rail clip



13, 1938. T WlLLARD @140,344

TIE PLATE AND RAIL CLIP Y 'Filed Aug. 27, 193e 2 Sheets-Sheet l @www Dec. 13, 1938.4 G. T WILLARD 2,140,344

TIE PLAE,y AND RAIL CLIP v Ylled Aug. 27, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 rneys.

Mm- Wp Patented Dec. 13, 193s UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 12 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a combination structure including a tie plate element and one or more retaining clips associated therewith for non-rigidly holding a rail in proper position on the plate.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide an improved rolled metal tie plate element and a rail retaining clip element of simplied construction, which elements are so formed that the clip element may be readily forced into interlocking engagement with portions of the tie plate and when so interlocked, will overlie a portion of the rail base positioned y on the plate so as to restrain excessive upward i5 movement of the rail relative to the plate. In this connection the invention contemplates the use of a resilient clip which is so formed that it has a, firm interlocking en gagement with shoulder portions on the plate and is under both vertical and transverse tension when it is in its applied position. The portions of the plate adapted to have interlocking engagement with the clip, instead of extending the full width of the plate, are made only of a length ample to accommodate a clip of predetermined width and are so located on the plate that they can be formed by displacement of metal during a punching operation.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the tie plate element is formed on its top face with a rail base seat portion and with one or more upstanding ribs which extend across the plate and provide lateral abutments for the rail. The top surface of the abutment, or abutments, as the case may be, are provided with upward projections which serve as lateral bearings for the rail retaining clip to prevent movement thereof outwardly relative to the rail. In another approved form of the invention the clip seats in a groove which may be formed in the rail abutment rib during the rolling of the plate, one of the sides of the groove, in this embodiment, forms an upward projection with which the upper portion of the clip is adapted to interlock.

The invention is illustrated in certain embodiments in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a plan view of a railway cross tie and the base portion of a rail, together with a tie plate structure made in accordance with this invention interposed between the rail land the cross tie.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig.A 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, made (Cl. 23S- 304) on a larger scale than Figs. l and 2, illustrating certain details of construction shown in said Figs. l and 2.

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of one form off rail clip element,

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 illustrating a modified embodiment, and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing a further modiiied embodiment.

Referring rst to Figs. l to 4, inclusive, of th drawings, IEB designates the base portion of a railroad rail, II one of the supporting cross ties, and I2 designates, as a Whole, a tie plate structure made in accordance with this invention and interposed between the base portion of a rail and the top surface of the cross tie. Y

The tie plate element I2 is formed on its top surface with a railseat I3 and with rail abutment ribs l-Ia at opposite sides of the seat. The said ribs extend from edge to edge of the plate and prevent any substantial lateral movement of the rail on the plate. The use of abutment ribs at opposite sides of a rail is optional insofar as this invention is concerned. Obvious- 1y, the tie plate may be formed with a single abutment rib or with one rib formed in accordance with this invention together with a rib of any suitable form for the other side of the rail.

The saidv ribs I4--I4a are preferably of a height substantially equal to the thickness of the edge portion of the rail base except at a location where the rail retaining clips are to be applied. At such location, preferably near the middle of the plate, the said ribs are each formed with a lug portion I5 which projects upwardly from the top surface of the abutment rib. The inner face I 6 of the lug is spaced outwardly from the inner face of the rib on which it is formed and inclines downwardly and inwardly toward the top Il of the rail abutment rib to form an L-shaped seat for the upper end of a rail retaining clip I8.

The clip member I3 is preferably made of resilient metal, for example spring steel, an-d'is of a configuration which may be described generally as C-shaped. The upper end portion of the clip isV formed with a rounded downwardly projecting bearing portion I9 adapted to bear downwardly on the surface I'I of the abutment rib and to bear laterally against the surface I6 of the lug I5. An angularly disposed arm 2@ at this end of the clip overlies the marginal portion of the top surface of the rail base I t. The portion 2U of the clip is preferably spaced from the upper surface of the rail base' so as to permit slight upward movement of the rail relative to the tie` plate during the normal wave movement of the rail and thereby avoids imparting such vertical movement of the rail to the tie plate or to the underlying cross tie to which the plate is rigidly secured. The tie plate may be rigidly secured to the underlyingcross tie by any suitable means, vfor example the fastening devices 2l which extend through suitable spike openings in the plate.

The lower end of the C-shaped clip extends into an opening 22 formed in the tie plate and is pro-vided with an angular projection 23 adapted to engage an undercut shoulder 24. The shoulder 24, preferably, extends beneath the lug i5. The vertical wall 26 of the recess 22 serves as an abutment to limit the inward movement of the lower end 23 of the clip.

When the rail retaining clip member is free of the tie plate, it, by reason of its resilience, assumes the general configuration indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3. In this position the vertical distance between the portions i 6 and 23 of the clip (indicated in Fig. 3 as dimension A) is somewhat less than the dimension B between the bearing surfaces I1 and 24 of the plate. It will be seen therefore that in applying the clip to the position indicated in full lines, Fig. 3, it will be necessary to spring the end portions of the clip apart in a vertical direction to cause the lower portion 23 thereof to snap beneath the shoulder 24 of the plate. The dimension C of the clip, when the latter is free of the plate, is somewhat less than the dimension D of the tie plate. This arrangement of the end portions of the clip relative to the surfaces I6 and 26 of the plate makes it necessary to spread the end portions of the clip laterally during the application of the clip to its applied position. It will be seen therefore that whenl the clip is in its applied position the resilience of the clip exerts lateral pressure against the surfaces I6 and 26 of the tie plate and exerts vertical pressure on the surfaces l1 and 24 of the plate.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, the tie plate element 28 is substantially the same as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 except that the undercut shoulder 29 thereof projects inwardly a greater distance than the corresponding shoulder 24 of the previous embodiment so that a larger amount of metal will be displaced during the forming of the shoulder 29. The up-pressed lug 30 formed on the top surface of the rail abutment rib 3| preferably extends to the inner vertical face of the rib. In other respects the tie plate element 28 may be the same as the tie plate I2.

The rail retaining clip 32 of Fig. 5, instead of bearing on the top of the rail base abutment as was the case in the previous embodiment, has a loop portion of larger radius to provide greater resilience and is formed with an angular reentrant portion 33 which bears resiliently on the top surface of the rail base flange lila. The resilient pressure exerted by a single clip is normally insuicient to prevent any substantial resistance to the lengthwise creeping movement of the rail. However, when considering the large number of clips which would ordinarily be used in the track construction, the combined resilience of all of the clips will serve to resist the lengthwise movement of the rail. The lower end 35 of the clip engages the undercut shoulder 29 and the vertical abutment surface 36 of the plate in substantially the same manner as described in connection with the shoulder 24 and abutment surface 26 of Fig. 3. The upper and lower ends of the said clip of which have the same general relationship to each other, when the clip is free of the plate, as was described with reference to the dimensions A, B and C, D. It will be apparent, therefore, when said clip is in its applied position it will be under vertical tension by reason of the spreading of the ends from the position A to the position B. Likewise the clip is tensioned laterally by spreading the end portions from the position C to the position D.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 6, the rail abutment rib 31 is formed on its upper surface with a groove or depression 38. This groove preferably extends the full length of the rib 31 and is formed during the rolling of the tie plate. An opening 39 is formed adjacent the outer face of the rib 31 and is adapted to receive the lower end of a spring metal clip 40. The lower portion of the opening 39 is enlarged by any suitable method to provide a lateral recess 4I the top wall is formed to provide an undercut shoulder 42 having a flat surface which inclines upwardly toward the center of the rail seat. The said retaining clip 49 is of gen-eral C-shape the lower end 43 of which hooks over and engages the inclined shoulder surface 42. The upper por- Y tion 44 projects over the rail base 45 and is provided with a rounded seat portion 46 adapted to snap into the grooved top surface of the abutment rib 41 so as to exert a firm resilient grip on the top and bottom surfaces 38 and 42 of the rail abutment rib. When the spring clip 46 is free of the tie plate it assumes the position indicated in dotted lines whereby in applying the clip to its operative position the intermediate portion of the clip is elongated by partial straightening of its bowed configuration so as to spread the end portions apart a distance sufficient to permit the downwardly bowed portion 46 to be inserted in the groove 38. The general C-shape of the clip 40'and likewise the correspondingly shaped clip shown in the preceding figures, whereby the angularly disposed portions of the upper and lower ends of the clips are connected by the outwardly bowed intermediate portion, distributes the ilexing or distortion of the clip uniformly throughout the entire clip and thereby avoids excessive localized or permanent distortion of the clip during its application to its applied position.

The clip 40 may be applied in either of two ways, first by inserting the downwardly bowed portion 46 in the groove 38 and then forcing the end portion 43 downwardly until it snaps over the shoulder 42. As an alternative manner of applying the clip the shoulder 43 may be rst engaged with the shoulder 42 and the bowed portion of the clip partly straightened by applying upward pressure to the upper end portion of the clip until it can be snapped over the outer shoulder 41 of the groove 38. The extent to which the bowed portion is straightened is illustrated by the dimensions A and B. When the clip is in its applied position, its tension or gripping pressure extendsdiagonally through the rib 31 as indicated by the dimension E. This diagonal tension results in producing horizontal components as indicated by the arrows F and G in Fig. 6. The inward movement of the lower end of the clip is limited by the contact of the clip with the lower corner portion of the recess as indicated at 48 in Fig. 6.

This application is a continuation in part of Y a rail base abutment rib which is formed on its 74 top surface with an upstanding projection which extends lengthwise of the rib and is spaced from the inner vertical face thereof so as to provide a shelf and an abutment extending upwardly therefrom, there being an opening through the plate adjacent the rib, the lower portion of which opening is enlarged laterally to provide a shoulder; and a resilient clip formed at its upper end with a portion for overlying the rail base and a portion adapted to seat on the said shelf and bear against the inner face of said upstanding projection and formed at its lower end with an angularly disposed portion for engagement with said shoulder and with a part adapted to abut against a part of the tie plate to limit the inward movement of the said lower end of the clip relative to the upper end, whereby the said clip, in its applied position, is tensioned laterally between the inner face of said upstanding projection and the said part of the plate which limits the inward movement of the lower portion of the clip.

2. The combination of a tie plate provided with a rail base abutment rib which is formed on its top surface with an upstanding projection which extends lengthwise of the rib and is spaced from the inner vertical face thereof so as to provide a shelf and an abutment extending upwardly therefrom, there being an opening through the plate il i) adjacent the rib, the lower portion of which opening is enlarged laterally to provide a shoulder which extends beneath said upstanding p-rojection; and a resilient clip formed at its upper end with a portion for overlying the rail base and a portion adapted to seat on the said shelf and bear against a face of said upstanding projection and formed at the lower end with an angularly disposed portion for engagement with said shoulder and with a part adapted to abut against a part of the tie plate to limit the inward movement of the lower end of the clip relative to the upper end, and the upper and lower ends of the clip, when the latter is free of the plate, are so disposed in both vertical and lateral relation that it is necessary to spread the said end portions apart both vertically and laterally in forcing the clip to its applied position on the plate.

3. The combination of a railway tie plate provided with a rail base abutment rib which is formed on its top surface with an upstanding lug which is relatively short in length and extends lengthwise of the rib, there being an opening through the plate adjacent the lug, the lower portion of which opening is enlarged laterally to provide a shoulder which projects beneath said lug portion of the rib; and a resilient clip formed at one end with means for overlying the rail base and for bearing against the inner face of said lug, and formed at the other end with a portion for engagement with said shoulder and with an abutment surface in said opening to limit inward movement of the clip.

4. The combination with a railway tie plate provided with a rail base abutment rib which is formed on its top surface, at a location intermediate its ends, with an upstanding lug which extends lengthwise of the rib and is spaced laterally from the inner vertical face of the rib, there being an opening through the plate adjacent the lug, the lower portion of which opening is enlarged laterally to provide a shoulder which projects beneath said lug po-rtion of the rib; and a resilient clip formed at one end with portions for overlying the rail base', for bearing upon. the top surface of the abutment rib, and for bearing against the inner face of said lug, the other end of the clip being formed with a portion for engagement with the shoulder and with an abutment surface in said opening to limit inward movement of the clip.

5. The combination of a railway tie plate provided with a rail base abutment rib which is formed on its top surface with an upstanding lug which extends lengthwise of the rib and is spaced laterally from the inner vertical face thereof, there being an opening through the plate adjacent the lug, the lower portion of which opening is enlarged laterally tol provide a shoulder which projects `beneath said lug portion of the rib; and a resilient clip formed at one end with portions for overlying the rail base and for bearing against parts of said rib and said lug and formed at its other end with an` angularly disposed portion for engagement with the shoulder in said opening and adapted to abut against a vertical wall of said opening; the distance between the said lug and shoulder engaging ends of said clip, when the clip is free of the tie plate, being less than the distance between the surfaces engaged thereby, whereby the said end portions are spread apart when the clip is in its applied position.

6. The combination of a railway tie plate provided with a rail base abutment rib which is formed on its top surface with an upstanding lug intermediate the ends of the rib, there being an opening through the plate adjacent the lug, the lower portion of which opening is enlarged laterally to provide a shoulder which projects beneath said lug; and a resilient clip formed at one end with portions for overlying the rail base and for bearing against the top surface of said abutment rib and the inner face of said lug and formed at the other end with portions for engaging an inner wall of the opening in the tie plate and for bearing against the shoulder in said opening; the vertical and lateral distances between said lug and shoulder engaging ends of said clip, when the clip is free of the plate, being less than the distance between the surfaces of the plate engaged thereby, whereby the said portions of the clip are tensioned both vertically and transversely of the rail abutment rib when the clip is in its applied position.

7. The combination of a railway tie plate provided with a rail base abutment rib which extends across the plate and is formed intermediate its ends with a portion which projects upwardly from the top surface thereof at a location spaced from the inner vertical face of the rib, there being an opening in the plate adjacent said upwardly projecting portion, the lower portion of which opening is .enlarged to form a substantially horizontal undercut shoulder and a substantially vertical abutment surface; and a rail retaining clip formed at its lower end with a portion for engaging said shoulder and the said abutment surface and provided at its upper end with a portion formed to overlie the marginal portion of the rail base positioned on said plate and to bear upon the top surface of the rail abutment rib and to bear against the inner face of said upwardly projecting portion. l

8. Supporting and retaining means for railroad rails comprising, in combination, a tie plate provided with a rail seat, a rail abutting shoulder having a grooved top surface at the side of the rail. seat and parallel' with the rail; the plate being recessed from top to bottom adjacent to said rail abutting shoulder, and a rail retaining device extending through the recess and having an arm in engagement with the plate bottom and another arm in engagement with the grooved rail abutting shoulder and overhanging the rail flange.

- 9. Supporting and retaining means for a railroad rail comprising, in combination, a tie plate provided with a rail seat, a rail abutting shoulder at one side of the rail seat and parallel with the rail, the plate being recessed from top to bottom adjacent the said rail abutting shoulder, the recess being increased in width adjacent the bottom of the plate to form a shoulder in the recess, said shoulder in the recess and the upper surface of the rail abutting shoulder being concaved to lock the rail retaining device in frictional engagement with said concaved surfaces and the retaining device having an arm overhanging the rail ange.

10. In a rail. supporting and retaining struc'- ture, a rolled metal tie plate formed with a rail seat and a rail abutment rib extending across the plate at one side of the seat, and a lug substantially shorter than the rib projecting upwardly from the top surface of the rib and having a substantially vertical inner face spaced laterally from the plane of the rail abutment face of said rilo for interlocking engagement with a portion of a rail retaining clip, there being an opening through the plate adjacent the lug, the lower portion of which opening is enlarged to provide a shoulder for interlocking engagement with another portion of such clip.

1l. In a rail supporting and retaining structure, a rolled metal tie plate formed with a rail seat and a rail base abutment rib extending across the plate at one side of the seat, and a lug substantially shorter than the rib projecting upwardly from the top surface of the rib and having a substantially vertical inner face for interlocking engagement with a portion of a rail retaining clip, there being an opening through the plate adjacent the lug, the lower portion of which opening is enlarged to provide a shoulder for interlocking engagement with another portion of such clip.

12. The combination of a railway tie plate provided with a rail base abutment rib which is formed on its top surface, at a location intermediate its ends, with an upstanding lug which extends lengthwise of the rib, there being an opening through the plate adjacent the lug, the lower portion of which opening is enlarged laterally to provide a shoulder which projects beneath said lug and a resilient clip formed at one end with means for overlying theV rail base and for bearing against the inner face of said lug and formed at the other end with a portion for engagement with said shoulder and with an abutment surface in said opening to limit inward movement of the clip.

GEORGE T. WILLARD. 

